By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigeria has officially inaugurated its campaign for election into Category C of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council for the 2026–2027 biennium.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, announced this in a statement on Thursday, signed by his Special Adviser, Mr Bolaji Akinola.

He noted that the campaign inauguration took place on the sidelines of the 110th Session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 110) at the IMO headquarters in London.

Mr Oyetola emphasised that Nigeria’s candidacy represented a call for balanced decision-making in global maritime governance.

“Today, we formally declare Nigeria’s candidacy for re-election to the IMO Council under Category C for the 2026–2027 biennium,” he stated.

He noted that Nigeria, as a responsible maritime nation strategically located on the Gulf of Guinea, with one of the world’s most commercially significant and security-sensitive shipping routes, remained committed to supporting the IMO’s mandate.

“This mandate promotes safe, secure, environmentally sound, efficient, and sustainable shipping.

“We stand ready to work with all Member States to build a safer, greener, and more inclusive maritime future.

“A vote for Nigeria is a vote for representation, collaboration, and balanced decision-making in global maritime governance,” Mr Oyetola said.

He also highlighted Nigeria’s Deep Blue Project, coordinated by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), as a model of maritime security innovation.

“The project integrates air, land, and sea assets to safeguard Nigeria’s maritime domain.”

According to the minister, the successful implementation of the Deep Blue Project has resulted in zero piracy incidents in Nigeria’s territorial waters over the past three years.

He said that the milestone had drawn international recognition, including commendation from the International Maritime Bureau (IMB).

In addition to security efforts, Mr Oyetola noted that Nigeria had ratified and domesticated several IMO instruments.

He added that the country was currently working to adopt further conventions, including those focused on greenhouse gas emissions, biofouling, and maritime labour protections, demonstrating its commitment to environmental sustainability and the welfare of seafarers.

He also pointed to Nigeria’s demographic strength and human capital as positioning the country, as not just a regional maritime leader, but a forward-looking global partner.

“We are investing in maritime education and capacity development, with the potential to contribute more than two million skilled seafarers to the global labour pool in the coming decade,” he said.

Mr Oyetola added that Nigeria had a strong record of constructive engagement within the IMO, offering technical support and sharing best practices with fellow developing countries, particularly in Africa.

He noted that Nigeria also extended the support to Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

He further reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to gender equity in the maritime sector, highlighting deliberate efforts to empower women through initiatives that supported female seafarers, port professionals, and maritime leaders.

“Progress in partnership must be inclusive,” he added.

By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigeria will sign more than 30 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Brazil at the second session of the Nigeria-Brazil Strategic Dialogue Mechanism (SDM).

The event, a high-stakes diplomatic and investment engagement will begin on Monday, June 23, 2025 and coincides with the official visit of Brazilian Vice President, Mr Geraldo Alckmin.

According to the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Mr Ibrahim Hadejia, both parties will unlock new investment flows and deepen cooperation across key sectors including agriculture, energy, defence, innovation, and the creative economy.

Speaking during a media briefing on Wednesday, he noted that the bilateral talks and MoU signings would facilitate technical cooperation and open pathways for scalable private sector engagement

“This is a defining moment for Nigeria’s international diplomacy and economic expansion. The visit underscores a new chapter of strategic collaboration between two influential regional powers. It aligns seamlessly with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda of global partnerships and economic revitalisation.

“We will engage in comprehensive discussions aimed at expanding collaboration across sectors critical to our national development,” he said.

Among the summit’s major highlights is the Nigeria-Brazil Business Forum, scheduled for June 25. The forum is expected to attract hundreds of government and private sector leaders from both nations, representing a combined consumer base of over 400 million.

Also speaking, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs Jumoke Oduwole, revealed that sector-specific platforms, including a Digital Trade Room, will be unveiled during the forum.

“Brazil’s experience in digital inclusion and Nigeria’s thriving fintech ecosystem present a powerful synergy for scalable innovation,” she said.

In the agriculture sector, the two countries are expected to sign MoUs targeting enhanced productivity through research in animal genetics, soya bean production, and mechanisation.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Abubakar Kyari, disclosed that the dialogue will also accelerate implementation of the Green Imperative Programme (GIP), a $4.5 billion investment to establish agricultural project delivery offices across all 774 local government areas in Nigeria.

“We are leveraging this platform to operationalise the Green Imperative and bring about real transformation in food production at scale,” Mr Kyari said.

The Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Ms Hannatu Musawa, said the SDM would help reposition Nigeria’s cultural and tourism industries.

“We are looking to tap into our shared Afro-Atlantic heritage with Brazil. The MoUs we sign will open up new economic and cultural opportunities in music, film, fashion, and tourism,” she said.

Planning for the dialogue has extended beyond federal agencies to include subnational governments and private sector players.

On her part, Mrs Marion Moon, Technical Assistant to the President on Agriculture and Executive Secretary of the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit, said Brazilian investors would be hosted in strategic states.

“Beyond Abuja, we’ll be taking the Brazilian delegation to investment sites in Kebbi, Plateau, Lagos, Edo, Nasarawa, and the FCT,” she said.

Also speaking, the Director of Regions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mrs Janet Olisa, stressed that the MoUs will be anchored on shared strengths and economic priorities.

“We are ensuring that every ministry brings its best. Nearly 30 MoUs are under negotiation, and some will be signed during this visit. Others will be concluded when the President visits Brazil,” she said.

She affirmed that the SDM is not merely a diplomatic forum, but “a serious mechanism for real investment outcomes and deepening South-South cooperation.”

By Adedapo Adesanya

President Bola Tinubu has mandated the country’s service chiefs and the Inspector General of Police (IGP, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, to go after those behind the dastardly killings in Benue State, which have left over 200 people dead.

President Tinubu issued the order on Wednesday during his visit to Benue State following the renewed attacks in the North-Central State.

“Police, I hope your men are on alert to listen to information. How come no arrest has been made? I expect there should be an arrest of those criminals,” Mr Tinubu said at the Benue Government House in Makurdi, the capital, during a stakeholders meeting, monitored by Business Post.

“Christopher (the Chief of Defence Staff), you have given much. I watch your comments, you can’t be tired of staying in the bush. Oloyede (the Chief of Army Staff) and the Air Marshal, we thank all of you, but we need to keep our ears to the ground, let’s get those criminals, let’s get them out. DG NIA, DG SSS, retool your information channels and let’s have tangible intelligence so that this will not occur again,” he said.

During his speech, the Tor Tiv V, Mr James Ayatse, dismissed claims that the killings in Benue State are the results of clashes between herders and farmers, arguing that the killings are a calculated, well-planned, full-scale genocidal invasion and land-grabbing campaign in the state by “herder terrorists and bandits” that had been on for decades.

He said, “We do have grave concerns about the misinformation and misrepresentation of the security crisis in Benue State. Your Excellency, it’s not headers-farmers clashes, it’s not communal clashes, it’s not reprisal attacks or skirmishes.

“It is this misinformation that has led to suggestions such as ‘remain tolerant, negotiate for peace, learn to live with your neighbours’.”

“What we are dealing with here in Benue is a calculated, well-planned, full-scale genocidal invasion and land grabbing campaign by header terrorists and bandits, which has been going on for decades and is worsening every year.

“Wrong diagnosis will always lead to wrong treatment. So, we are dealing with something far more sinister than we think about. It’s not learning to live with your neighbors; it is dealing with the war,” the traditional ruler added.